The Archdiocese of Occupy Portland? (Part 1)

In its December 18, 2011 issue, the Catholic Sentinel featured an odd story promoting Occupy Portland, a satellite of the Occupy Wall Street movement.

In her article, ‘Should the church connect with the Occupy movement?’, St. Francis of Assisi Pastoral Administrator Valerie Chapman, whom at least one local journalist erroneously identifies as “pastor” of the Southwest Portland parish, attempts to convince readers that Catholic Social Teaching tends to support the work(s) of Occupy Wall Street.

I doubted that. And decided to look into it a bit.

With the exception of our archdiocesan paper promoting the new faction, it remains unclear what the position of the archdiocese actually is when it comes to identifying Catholic Social Teaching with the OWS movement, much less promoting our involvement. As of this writing, I’m unaware of Archbishop Vlazny having ever commented publicly on the the subject. I may be wrong, of course, and welcome input from any reader with information I may have missed.

What is clear from my own study, however, is the presence of darker more sinister organizations either involved with or having shown support for OWS/OP. A fact that should certainly lead proper authorities within the archdiocese to give pause and discern carefully before allowing further promotion of the group to nearly 400,000 Oregon Catholics via its official newspaper.

I found Valerie Chapman’s positive spin for the cause of our supporting public disorder in the streets as shallow as the superficial statements made by President Barack Obama in the early days of the Occupy Wall Street movement 3 months ago.

It was his contention at the time that Occupy Wall Street protesters were simply ‘giving voice to a wider more broad-based frustration as to how our financial system (i.e. capitalism) works’. For Chapman, there is a “sense of betrayal by the system and growing desire for change.” Neither, however, go into any great depth explaining or even mentioning the leaders, supporters, sponsors and sympathizers by name–and probably, wouldn’t care too…

All this above goes to show that in making her case for marriage between the Catholic Church and Occupy Portland it’s what Chapman hasn’t said within her piece that is more important than what little has been said. It’s not enough for us to fall for resort to authority arguments or follow empty propaganda-laden cheerleader phrases such as, “something new is happening” so that we might lend support. That’s not logical. “Something new” is happening all the time in the world, but that doesn’t necessary make everything happening in the world virtuous. Does it? Especially, when it comes to crowds of malcontent people taking it to the streets.

My guess after looking over this list, is that no properly catechized Catholic loyal to the magisterium of the Church, with even a rudimentary knowledge of recent Cold War history and the Church’s ongoing persecution and struggles under Atheistic Communism (see: China), would desire an OWS/OP solution to this so-called broad based discontent with the American financial system. I tend to agree with this OWS commentator:

"Funny Jesus": Found on the "Occupy Christmas" Facebook page, a link from the Occupy Portland page...

“This movement has fooled a lot of folks… And […] it’s “an anti-Christian, anti-capitalist, anarchist movement bent on the destruction of America and other free societies.”

For instance, something newdid happen last month within the OWS/OP movement. The hacker coalition known as ANONYMOUS [mentioned above] publicly published the email, physical addresses and home phone numbers of thousands of law enforcement officers from around the country in retribution for police evictions of OWS protest camps.

Now, it doesn’t take much to connect-the-dots here and figure out that these actions could seriously endanger not only the lives and well being of the officers involved, but their families and homes as well. One has to wonder too, what might be the percentage of Catholic officers and families placed in harms way by this foul act.

If this type of violent fruit coming from the movement isn’t enough to turn common sense against it, the movement also reveals as one faithful Catholic Sentinel commenter has recently noted, “cursing, disobedience to the law, drug use, rape, defecating on the American flag, filth, as well as public nudity.” Each and all, verifiable through various news and media outlets. Here’s a current leader of Occupy Portland at a recent family friendly event:

+++

So, should the church connect with the movement?

Apparently Chapman has answered that question for us and the archdiocese with this surprising announcement to St. Francis of Assisi parishioners found within the 12.18.11 parish bulletin:

“I want to let you know that Occupy Portland now has an office in our building. Metanoia Peace Community is renting the space on behalf of Occupy Portland until the new group has its own non-profit status. Occupy will be having some larger gatherings in the Dining Hall as it is available in the evenings.”

She goes on to note that,

“The energy of the movement and the younger folks who are participating has been very positive. I hope more of you will have the opportunity to participate…”

No thanks, Valerie, no thanks…

In concluding part 1, I have to wonder at the wisdom, (not to mention the authority(?)), behind allowing Occupy Portland Headquarters to be planted within an archdiocesan parish. This apparent lone action by Chapman seems problematic in other more serious areas as well—as in possible archdiocesan legal liability issues that may arise from future OWS/OP protest actions…

8 thoughts on “The Archdiocese of Occupy Portland? (Part 1)”

Wonderful article. This communistic invasion has been going on for at least forty years in the Archdiocese of Portland. Nothing is done by the hierarchy, so it is not even an assumption that they are benefiting financially and have these communistic/Alinsky types as their valuable friends.

The main purpose, bottom line, in this alliance is to take down the Catholic Church and it’s going to be more of the same, unless we get a new Archbishop that has holy boldness and loves The Church as Christ designed Her to be with Him in Heaven for Eternity.

I just heard about this on the Victoria Taft show and called St. Francis Church to confirm the story. I asked for the pastor and the woman says, “She’s not here.” Huh? “We’re different,” she said. Yuk yuk.

He writes in the 12/18/11 bulletin: “I think that some forms of socialism are feasible and
can be morally acceptable. Socialism, when compared with capitalism, is more democratic, better oriented toward the human and the
common good, therefore, morally superior to capitalism.”

Great blog article! Just discovered it! Thanks for embedding my video. These are violent people leading this movement they will not stop until we stop them. Here’s a another example of what Occupy is all about. By the way the person with Varner in the Video you embedded is Ibrahim Mubarik a convicted criminal and racist. http://youtu.be/CNjQuHeYlJg

Great article. These people are sick terrorists; it should be no surprize to anyone that both Nazis and Communists have endorsed them. I took photos of signs they had around the perimeter of the Occupy Portland camp that blatantly threatened death and torture to the general public of Portland.

More recently I discovered VOCAL’s posts about the Catholic Sentinel praising Occupy Portland and Saul Alinsky. I’m glad people are on to this, but I’m not optimistic about Church leadership. They’ve been looking the other way for a LONG TIME while feminazis, pro-abortion groups, and all kinds of radical “social justice” quasi-cults have infiltrated.